Something to think about for those who are conflicted the same way I was is to consider how much time you are actually using your vehicle for trips. I personally decided to get a Gazelle T4 ground tent because it has a similar set-up/breakdown time to a roof top tent, costs a fraction of the price, and most importantly, I didn't have to pay for the extra mods to support the weight of the tent and lose the gas mileage of my already bad MPG 4Runner!
YES... THIS is important. I meet a lot of people that use a tent 4 times a year... yet drive around a RTT year around... its a lot of fuel and additional wear on a vehicle for that level of benefit.
I did the same. Though I went with the T4 Plus. It gives us the flexibility of having plenty of space if we bring the teenagers. And if not we don’t need a separate screen room when the mosquitoes are bad
“Swag” was originally a word British robbers used for their ill-gotten gains and they brought it to Australia (as convicts) in the early 1800’s. It came to be used for all the belongings wrapped in a bedroll and carried by drovers on horses or on foot by itinerant workers, like sheep shearers. The latter became known as “swagmen” and one such was immortalised in 1895 in what became Australia’s unofficial national song, Waltzing Matilda. “Matilda” had become a colloquialism for a swag so, rather than dancing with your girl, that title meant wandering with a bedroll.
I run an SUV, so I don't use a tent of any sort, but it's refreshing to find someone that isn't peddling high-cost gear as the only solution to off-roading. To be honest, my ride is a 1989 Isuzu Trooper that is a beast on all the forest roads that I run and that includes the side roads where all the fun is. With a reliable and roomy vehicle with a brand new set of MTs, I'm still under $4k. I sleep on a single mattress and all my other gear, including a Amazon fridge, small Jackery and a single solar panel, I'm still under $5K. Is this because I'm poor or cheap? No, it's because I'll be damned if I'm going to spend a $100k on a Rubicon with all sorts of rack systems and RTTs just to spend some weekends in the woods. Be honest, how many of us are going to run the Pan-American highway or the TAT coast to coast? Good video and I'm looking forward to watching more of your stuff.
Thanks Phil… I actually love the Isuzu trooper platform… it reminds me of the Land Cruiser Troopys. All the crazy gear out there today is pretty amazing but I do like to remind people they don’t need all that… the most important thing is to just get out with family and friends, disconnect and have a great time. Sounds like you have that down.
Good video and a well balanced take. I sold my hardshell RTT and went back to a ground tent for similar reasons: 1. I like to explore/hike/bike a lot and having to pack up (even a hardshell) RTT every time I wanted to go somewhere was just a pain. It's fine if you just want to move from campsite to campsite and stay there, but that doesn't fit if you want to explore where you are. 2. Cost/weight. As you mentioned, between a rack and the tent itself, it cuts from your payload and raises your center of gravity. Getting better MPG and feeling less tippy since I removed the RTT/rack. Also makes my setup more stealth which I prefer. 3. Better campsites. Always annoying to find an awesome campsite that's a short walk in and not being able to access it. A lot more of these open now too that RTTs/trailers have become so trendy. 4. Bears. I camp in bear country a lot, and prefer to keep food in my vehicle overnight and cook next to the vehicle. Every bear encounter I've had the bear has been 100% food motived and has no interest in tents/people, so I'd much rather be in a ground tent 100 meters away vs elevated in an RTT on top of all that food and food related smells. Right now I just have a cot and a basic cheapo tent, that swag looks pretty slick and much more comfy than my setup, I need to try one out! Seen them 100x on 4wd 24/7 and always was curious about them.
I agree with you. For most of my life, I could not justify a rooftop tent. I have a backpacking tent and a midsized tent always in the truck. When the weather gets bad, I sleep in the back of the truck under the truck cap. But a 5' bed makes that a challenge. Planning a fall trip to Alaska for 2 months+ on the road, I am finally seeing the benefit to a rooftop tent. The back of the truck will be full of gear, and the daily grind of setting up a tent and taking it down has been a pain on my 2 week motorcycle road trips. Some days, I simply chose a hotel to avoid spending time on setting up a camp. Especially during rainy days. Sometimes, extra weight is worth the comfort on an extended trip. I am looking forward to the Alaska Road trip in the fall 2024
Hennessy Hammock is a great option if you don't wanna be sleeping on the ground. I can usually set mine up in about 3 minutes. It's small, lightweight, and can fit in your ruck. It works best with big, strong trees, but I am sure you could figure out tying it between the windows of your car and a rock anchor in a cliff if there are no trees available, or the available trees are to bendy-bendy at your elevation. I would recommend learning how to tie a bowline and/or a rolling hitch if you go this route, however.
The selling point for me with the RTT is storing the bedding and etc in it, clearing bed/cab space. The extra weight isn’t a huge deal for me, cost is a bit steep obviously but that’s also why I looked everywhere for used stuff as much as I could. I have roughly 1300 into my bed rack and tent for 3 people. I wasn’t able to find anything that worked as well and wouldn’t take up a bunch of space on top or it.
Recently switched from a pathfinder to frontier. Sleeping in the suv was great in winter , and I was looking for an alternative on the truck. Will definitely not be going with a rooftop for the price. My trusty old ground tent will have to do.
Love my SWAG- I run a crashpad single swag and the mattress, bag, and pillow all roll up in it (one of the big selling points of the RTT). I use my SWAG for one nighters where I’m moving through an area. If I’m staying put I run the Oz tent RV 5 which is way more comfortable than any RTT on the market. Lastly, I would counter that running a SWAG is way cooler than an RTT- who needs a 4k tent to sleep in the woods.
The one thing about the mentioning the Australian guys using these things is...they're almost always running 60,000-80,000$ if not MORE worth of other gear along with the swag, from touring canopies, double spar tires, fridges, spares, extended fuel tanks, water tanks, etc. Not only that they actually have laws restricting how much they can carry AND are stopped to be weighed while out and about the US doesnt, thats why here you see those 70's and 80's teeny tiny pick up trucks dragging the rear bumper they're so over loaded. The Australians arent running swags because they can and its fun they're pretty much doing it because they HAVE to. When an Aussie says budget they mean about 20k in gear, when an american says budget they mean about 3k the american overlanding community is MUCH different then the Australian over landers. As far as i can tell a good portion of time they can not be compared in most cases. Now back to the swag. While yes the swag is stupidly cheap compared to a roof top or camper (personally i was looking at topo toppers) The price, for a lot of people is the ONLY upsides to the swag, setting it up, carrying it, packing it, battling the elements, its all, at least to me downsides. With a camper, not only do you have the bed you're looking for, you also have full elemental protection not just to sleep but eat, relax, ease of use, etc. Like with a swag you have to carry other things to be comfy or have places to eat and be protected, so yeah its cheap but...thats just a place to sleep now you have to take into account all the extra stuff you have to carry for everything else you might need or want to do that doesnt involve sleeping. Also, if you have a base camp, you're camping, not what from what i can tell is considered overlanding, which is going from point A to B on nothing but trails and dirt. If you're going out to point A to then wheel around point A then im pretty sure its considered camping sorry a bit of a rant/ramble. But again, the Australian over landing crowed is hilariously different then the American over landing crowd. And a LOT of American/Canadian over landers are starting to compare them to the US over landers and miss a LOT of key point differences between not just the geography but laws around over landing, which is why they are so different. EditL Just looked it up just for the tray and canopy a lot of Australians are running NOTHING ELSE is over $30,000...mean while you're average overlanding camper in america is like 7-10,000$ so not to shabby if you ask me
Yeah… I get a lot of this… this video is really for people looking for budget alternatives… the payload thing should be a big deal but everyone seems to just ignore it 🤷♂️
This is a super cool tent. My gazelle has never done me wrong over 2 years of camping with it. Only difference is i live in Southern California. Pretty perfect conditions for running ground tents. But since my oldest is gonna start driving his own rig soon, it might be time to downsize to a single person tent like this.
I went with a soft topper for super low weight and versatility. I go overlanding with my girlfriend and throw an air mattress in the back. Cooler and cooking supplies in the back seat. Plus you don’t lose your truck bed as it can easily fold down to haul bike items or dirt bikes Minimal and lightweight is the goal!
I have a 5’x4’ trailer. Fitted roof bars to it and put a roof top tent on top. Tows with any car and you don’t have to pack anything away if you need to go out for anything in the car.
Trailers are pretty awesome for RTT so you can leave camp setup and still go run trails… I’ve never done that yet but always thought about… especially for places like Moab where I want to run trails every day.
Good, thoughtful advice and information. Too often, we over buy, thinking that 'more' or 'new' is what we need to be happy campers. Maybe some of us may find even more happiness with 'less is more' as a camping philosophy. Certainly, our wallets will be fuller, which is always a good thing.
A lot of people jump into overlanding and go nuts buying everything and then eventually circle back to trying to simplify after actually using all the gear.
Another great video. I will be using my Gazelle T4 Overland Edition tent for the first time very soon. It seems like a great tent with quick setup as well. The tent in the video is certainly an interesting design with the mattress built in. I did also get a Coleman Airbed twin cot to use inside the T4 as well so I will be off the ground. Looking forward to testing this setup out. May eventually end up with a RTT and use a somewhat low profile Dethloff rack. Adding some 300 lb rock slider steps to my truck soon, so that should counteract the higher located RTT/rack weight but will certainly be close to max weight on my PW once fully loaded. I am running some sweet Carli R2 coils in the back so handling the max weight should not be an issue. My Power Wagon is an absolute offroading beast that climbs like a mountain goat. Enjoying your channel and videos so far.
I purchased my Land Rover with a roof top rack, so no additional expense there, but a roof top tent has a number of negatives. 1. It limits your ability to carry other gear on your roof rack. 2. Roof top tents weigh around 200 lbs, limiting both your overall weight limit and making your top heavy. 3. Your roof top tent is always on your vehicle, which can limit where you travel off road. 4. Not everyone can get into a roof top tent. Zero percent chance my wife can climb into such a tent. 5. Roof top tents are very expensive. I went with an off-road camping trailer, which cost just a bit more than a good roof top tent. It's much larger than than a roof top tent, wife can get into it, and it has storage. If I want to go someplace by myself, I rarely need even a tent. I've slept in the drivers seat, so pretty much any tent will suffice for me.
Something to consider with a tent of any kind is putting it away wet. I drive and sleep then drive again. Some days wet, some days dry. My option on wet days are the backseat of my F250. I don't have time to wait for a tent to dry. I'm not on vacation either.
I have had to live this way before… mold becomes a huge concern… that is one plus to the GFC’s you can always just sleep in your truck be and not even pop the tent… but nothing wrong with a backseat for emergency sleeping.
Personally I don’t understand the SWAG. They’re essentially a roof top tent on the ground. And while they are lighter and cheaper than a roof top tent they’re infinitely heavier, more expensive, and less roomy than a typical ground tent. Imagine packing that SWAG in the back of a vehicle with all your other gear, it literally takes up half the cargo area for what is a 2 person shelter that you can barely sit up in. If you want 4 season performance get an MSR tent. Compare that to say a Gazelle tent which is lighter, roomier, you can actually stand up in it, and it weighs less. Throw in two exped pads and you’re golden. If you want to pack even lighter then just get an REI, NEMO, or Big Agnes tent. IMO, a SWAG is just a heavy and bulky ground tent that is limited to two people plus one small child or a small dog. Anymore than that then well, you’re going back to a normal tent.
It’s a durability thing for 1 but yeah price and weight are a big deal.… I have owned and tested literally everything you called out in this whole list… one example… I love Expeds but the get holes OFTEN… we use them on multi day rafting trips… also Expeds are huge! If you combine an exped and a larger ground tent… that takes up the same amount of cu inches of storage just in two packages. In Australia most ppl just throw a swag on the roof while driving cause it actually comes with a durable and weatherproof enough bag. But the biggest thing… is unlike ground tents, you don’t have to be careful with them, they are made to be beat up, used a lot. MSR, Gazelle and especially Big Agnes tents are made to be light as the priority… not tough. I have used them all and they simply do not hold up like a swag does.
@@OutdoorAuto Good points and I totally get it. To be upfront, I'm not running a light weight setup either. For the last 4-5 years I've used an OzTent RV3. It's long and heavy but enormous inside. I used an Exped for 2-3 years but mine did get a flat and I sent it in for an RMA. I've now switched to Hest Foamy pads for the two of us. So my setup takes quite a bit of space. I have to load my RV3 on the roof of my LC200 which can be a PITA sometimes, it weighs 45-50lbs or so and is long. To date it has been durable as heck and the longest I've used a tent without switching. I can easily house 4 people and 2 dogs inside. I do think about downsizing at times to a Gazelle T4 for weight and size savings. Although the RV3 is large and heavy it makes up for it in the space it provides. I can stand up inside, house 3-4 people, I can store my gear inside, have cots and a table inside if I wanted to. You can't do that with a SWAG. A SWAG is a slightly larger Bivy tent. An REI half dome or full dome tent has more sit-up room than a SWAG. About the only thing you can do in a SWAG is lay down or sleep. If I'm trying to hide away from bad weather in the RV3, Gazelle or REI style tent at least I can sit up fully and read, play cards, eat a meat etc etc. Those things aren't possible in a SWAG. If durability is a concern I'd rather have the smallest Oztent or Kodiak Canvas tent than a swag. Again, just my opinion, and everyone will have a preference.
My tent weighs 1.1 lbs. I sleep on the ground. You can use an inflatable mattress, and you can get them at an R rating that's suitable to the climate that you will be in. You can eat Mountain House food or MRE's. If you use these cost and weight saving measures, you can carry more ammunition for your ultimate survival tool. I was into ultra lite backpacking and that gear isn't cheap either. $1700.00 for my tent and tent insert. $360.00 for my sleeping bag and so on. I won't ditch this gear, so it all went into my truck. And you know what? It's fine. My entire kit weighs less than 16 lbs.
Great video. I came to the same conclusion and purchased a swag last year. 1/4 the cost of the cheapest hardshell tent, 30lbs, much easier to store. It seemed like a no brainer to me. Here are a couple of other points I think are worth mentioning: 1) They set up really fast. Mine sets up in under 5 mins. 2) Just a like a roof top tent, you can store your bedding and just rolled it up with the swag. Thats what I do.
Another budget is space/ volume. Many overland items are overbuilt in my opinion. Sure a canvas tent or swag is awesome and feels great, but a lightweight car camping or backpacking tent offers more space with less volume and weight. Another example is overland camp chairs versus lightweight aluminum/ fabric backpacking chairs. As a family of 4, soon 5 I always try to get items that are both lightweight and compact with packed, although we are looking at a trailer, but keep shying away due to cost.
let say 4 people x 30lbs = 120 lbs vs Ikapmer 3.0 at 165lbs. Yes savings, but marginal. Definitely saving for the one person. I was looking at this with foldable cot. you need rack to care a swag, as almost all cargo area filled with fridge, drawers and many other gear, so I don't see here your point. Ikamper mini with hardware is 160 lbs per their website. it's said what is included in the package. Remember, Aussie loves swag, as they are using a very heavy platform with the box, included 2 Li batteries and other things, also they do use on Utes and heavy restrictions on upgrading payloads. Aussie is not that freedom as us in USA. I was thinking to go that route, as to use diamondback with a full size bed slider (glider) and sleep on top diamondback platform. But still love an idea RT as in rain you can crawl there and sit and watch video. That is why like an idea Jeep with a unfordable roof as sleeping place, but not a Jeep as vehicle. (don't kill me for this, excellent off road best in class, but every day driving and long distance .....)
Nobody is sleeping 4 people in an iKamper 3.0 😂…. Also those swags sleep 2 people…. So it be more like 2 ikampers vs 2 swags….. you r“savings calculation doesn’t make sense…
@OutdoorAuto it's true but you will need 2 swags for family or someone sleeping in car. I'm just saying a 50/60 lbs saving max as you will need a roof rack, well say 90 lbs saving. it's about one large dog weight. So it's not really a mass savings it's more to reduce CG. The swags up to 900 dollars vs. the cheapest RTT 900 dollars.
Like that swag as an option going to have to look into it. I have a canvas tent of considerable size that is mostly for very cold weather camping. Still weighs in well under what a lighter weight rtt does.
@@OutdoorAuto definitely helped me to consider other options. Actively looking for a roof top tent and a roof rack for my Jeep thing are quite expensive! A grand total 4K plus just for those to 2 items.
Im torn between a RTT and a camper van Here in Australia we really only have the delica 4wd van and even then its only awd so cant go as many places as a truck/ute. My wife (and me) would prefer camper van but i know some places ill only get to with a proper 4wd. I will have a dedicated ute with RTT. We only camp one night in same location snd carry a kayak. Im thinking low tub rack with RTT then kayak on roof
I've gone from " I'll never have another (cheap) ground tent to- RTT are the best ever- to RTT take too much time opening/closing and I can't do ANYthing once I get set up- to I'm going back to the ground. Just purchase the new Foundation Hub V2 from free spirit but I'm still on the fence. I need speed, mobility, comfort. Curious though- can you mention the other company w/out getting in trouble? Does it start with O and end with Z? Because, I considered them, but at over $1K, I just couldn't do it. Keep up the great work.
I hear you on the speed, mobility and comfort… for the full size Tundra the GoFast camper has achieved that but it is heavy so I have to sacrifice other places… with smaller vehicles I pretty much just go straight to the swag. The tents we had consistent failures were the 23 Zero swags… and it was always the poles… I think they have changed them now… but I have tested anything with an update yet.
Bottom line up front, swags are pretty cool and I think in fair weather or paired with an awning are a solid option. This ironically comes out right after I just completed the New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route using a swag tent. I have a 23zero dual 1100. I had no issues with build quality and feel that it is a good value. I bought it for around 400 bucks and my reasoning was similar to yours, the price and weight savings versus a roof tent and ease of use versus a traditional ground tent. This was my first time using a swag vs a traditional ground tent. I wanted a cot for it but couldn't find one that fit it prior to my trip. I generally prefer the swag to a traditional ground tent for sure but I now have my sights set on a light weight hard shell roof tent for any longer trips I do in the future. I'd jump on a go fast superlight or the new alucab lightweight tent given the right price on the used market. While I generally found the swag to be easier to set up than my ground tent, things got really messy in bad weather. Also, maybe design specific to my swag, getting in and out in rain sucks. When I open my swag in rain, it is hard to not have water ingress into the bed portion. However, in good weather, I loved my swag. The ventilation is awesome and I can leave my sleeping bag in mine when I roll it up. With my swag, there are 2 hoops and a pole that cross-links them. It literally takes 5 minutes to set up once you have done it a few times. My 2 cents, if you do get a swag, I think pairing it with a vehicle or free standing awning or tarp shelter would be the best way to go. That fixes the bad weather issues I had. I also really want to try a cot with it. I plan to implement these changes with my swag in the future. I like mine way better than my ground tent but still think the convenience and comfort of a hardshell roof tent would be hard to beat for a longer trip where you are driving a lot and looking for quick camp setups (my typical style of travel).
Check out traditional flat swags like Murchison River that use the very best military grade canvas and are much easier to used than dome swags(swags with poles). Most dome swags aren't actually made in Australia these days and are a fairly recent development compared to the traditional swag. Advantage of the traditional is to just roll it out and get in. Much more mobile. And the high quality Australian canvas doesn't use treatments like formaldehyde like the Chinese made dome swag canvas does.
Loved the vid I’m debating selling my darche rtt bc it’s been kinda falling apart, not impressed with the build quality so maybe their swag bags are better
Any thoughts on the Rev Tent by C6? Slightly more expensive tent from the original owners of front runner. I am also looking at a Shiftpod Mini 3. There are not many reviews on these 2 tents. I can see the benefit of this swag having a center pole. Unfortunately it’s all sold out in US currently. I am currently using a Napier backroads truck tent. I dislike the setup time and want something more durable.
I would like to test the Rev Tent…. It’s light weight and a 4” mattress sounds comfortable… all the best swags are canvas for durability, so it would be nice to test Rev’s and see how their material holds up. Also see how tough the bottom material is.
@@OutdoorAuto You mentioned in the video using the swag in the back of a pickup. That is my preferred use. Have you tried that Darcy 1400 in one? The 1400 measures 55” wide. My F150 Lightning is 50” wheel well to wheel well. Will the 1400 conform or do I need to go with the smaller 1100 (43” wide)? Thanks!
I have been looking at this exact swag simply for the reason that getting a 160lbs St. Bernard into a RTT with me is not a viable option. We have a Travel Trailer we will use with the whole family for long trips and then head out for day trips to hit the trails but this seems like the perfect solution for remote trips off road with myself and the dog.
Not a criticism, but it looks like you have a GFC on that Tundra... are you getting rid of it? or did you get it after filming most of this? You mention just setting the swag up in the bed of the truck... but you have a camper in the bed. (c;
I actually have 4 trucks and have a Off-Road guide company in Baja… I also test a LOT of gear for the RUclips channel… so you will always see an assortment of gear on this channel. We use these swags for the entire kitchen and guide crew in Baja… they have been awesome… but yes… when I’m talking about putting it in the back of a truck… I just mean a beer truck bed.
thoughts on the dometic air swag .. no poles to mess with or break .. easy set up and take down .. inflates with a pump with ease and mattress made from air ... something to look at in my op..
Great video! Love it. I have not committed to anything yet after 2 years of doing this - I’m still sleeping in my Jeep. 😁 I think if I went for a RTT I’d go all out on an Ursa Minor. We’ll see! 😊
I cover them in detail in this video… All-Terrain Tire Buyer's Guide - BFG KO2, Falken Wildpeak, Yokohama Geolander Differences ruclips.net/video/9hk4qt7rOC8/видео.html I like them a lot for mud and desert… pretty amazing inner shell that blocks punctures but terrible in ice and so-so in rain.
I have only tested their Bandit Swag... we had several of these and every one of them failed. The failure was always broken poles. I am sure they learned from that and have changed the poles... but i'd just check to make sure.
There are swags with 1.6m (63”) wide mattress. But for mom, dad and 2kids I would go for two double swags of 1.3-1.4m wide (51-55”) and each parent with a kid…until they don’t want to sleep with you anymore!! 🤣
I’ve a toddler also and rethinking about RTT, OZTent or big swag (63”). Each option has pros & cons, however the pros of the rtt have to weight a lot to worth the investment, as i need a good rtt to provide a nice sleeping to my wife and boy, otherwise I will struggle to go out for adventures.
It's real simple...there's camping....and there's VEHICLE camping, and they're completely different. Me?; I'm a CAMPER....roughing it, purposefully. No KOAs, no Class A-B-C, no fucking Mercedes Sprinters, etc. My sis/BIL think "roughing it" is when their hosted camp ground doesn't have a great wifi signal....in their $100k+ gas guzzling RV.
Do you use teepees and a bow and arrow? Or prefer caves and club? Honestly, I think it is simpler still… camping is just however someone decides to get out and enjoy nature their way… from cave men to million dollar RVs people do it a lot of ways… with a lot of different gear. I don’t worry too much about it… I just do it how I enjoy it.
The lack of discussion about popup campers is dumbfounding. I DON'T SIT AT CAMP. I want to explore. So roof top is out. I wanna set and forget and take off in my truck. People would rather sleep in a tent than a pop up? People would rather spend $25,000 in an over priced "overland" trailer? You get a pretty decent pop up for a couple thousand dollars. But "I dont want to tow a trailer" Its not a big deal.
Rooftop tents are the biggest boondoggle and fad the outdoor industry has produced since the shaker-weight. Putting an RTT on an off-road vehicle is like putting a backpack on a figure skater. Novice-driven market!
A 6’6” husband, dog, high wind areas, price & the ease of switching vehicles is what makes me go to ground. And major bear country means no cooking where you sleep. 🥾🏔🇨🇦❤️
Comparing 3 popular Roof Top Tent Types - ruclips.net/video/fCXghZJ1k70/видео.html
Something to think about for those who are conflicted the same way I was is to consider how much time you are actually using your vehicle for trips. I personally decided to get a Gazelle T4 ground tent because it has a similar set-up/breakdown time to a roof top tent, costs a fraction of the price, and most importantly, I didn't have to pay for the extra mods to support the weight of the tent and lose the gas mileage of my already bad MPG 4Runner!
YES... THIS is important. I meet a lot of people that use a tent 4 times a year... yet drive around a RTT year around... its a lot of fuel and additional wear on a vehicle for that level of benefit.
I did the same. Though I went with the T4 Plus. It gives us the flexibility of having plenty of space if we bring the teenagers. And if not we don’t need a separate screen room when the mosquitoes are bad
“Swag” was originally a word British robbers used for their ill-gotten gains and they brought it to Australia (as convicts) in the early 1800’s. It came to be used for all the belongings wrapped in a bedroll and carried by drovers on horses or on foot by itinerant workers, like sheep shearers. The latter became known as “swagmen” and one such was immortalised in 1895 in what became Australia’s unofficial national song, Waltzing Matilda. “Matilda” had become a colloquialism for a swag so, rather than dancing with your girl, that title meant wandering with a bedroll.
Dang... this is cool. I love a little History lesson.
I run an SUV, so I don't use a tent of any sort, but it's refreshing to find someone that isn't peddling high-cost gear as the only solution to off-roading. To be honest, my ride is a 1989 Isuzu Trooper that is a beast on all the forest roads that I run and that includes the side roads where all the fun is. With a reliable and roomy vehicle with a brand new set of MTs, I'm still under $4k.
I sleep on a single mattress and all my other gear, including a Amazon fridge, small Jackery and a single solar panel, I'm still under $5K. Is this because I'm poor or cheap? No, it's because I'll be damned if I'm going to spend a $100k on a Rubicon with all sorts of rack systems and RTTs just to spend some weekends in the woods. Be honest, how many of us are going to run the Pan-American highway or the TAT coast to coast?
Good video and I'm looking forward to watching more of your stuff.
Thanks Phil… I actually love the Isuzu trooper platform… it reminds me of the Land Cruiser Troopys.
All the crazy gear out there today is pretty amazing but I do like to remind people they don’t need all that… the most important thing is to just get out with family and friends, disconnect and have a great time. Sounds like you have that down.
Good video and a well balanced take.
I sold my hardshell RTT and went back to a ground tent for similar reasons:
1. I like to explore/hike/bike a lot and having to pack up (even a hardshell) RTT every time I wanted to go somewhere was just a pain. It's fine if you just want to move from campsite to campsite and stay there, but that doesn't fit if you want to explore where you are.
2. Cost/weight. As you mentioned, between a rack and the tent itself, it cuts from your payload and raises your center of gravity. Getting better MPG and feeling less tippy since I removed the RTT/rack. Also makes my setup more stealth which I prefer.
3. Better campsites. Always annoying to find an awesome campsite that's a short walk in and not being able to access it. A lot more of these open now too that RTTs/trailers have become so trendy.
4. Bears. I camp in bear country a lot, and prefer to keep food in my vehicle overnight and cook next to the vehicle. Every bear encounter I've had the bear has been 100% food motived and has no interest in tents/people, so I'd much rather be in a ground tent 100 meters away vs elevated in an RTT on top of all that food and food related smells.
Right now I just have a cot and a basic cheapo tent, that swag looks pretty slick and much more comfy than my setup, I need to try one out! Seen them 100x on 4wd 24/7 and always was curious about them.
Your bear take is solid… most people think about that one backwards… but you are right… most bears are basically trained to go after the vehicles.
I agree with you. For most of my life, I could not justify a rooftop tent. I have a backpacking tent and a midsized tent always in the truck. When the weather gets bad, I sleep in the back of the truck under the truck cap. But a 5' bed makes that a challenge.
Planning a fall trip to Alaska for 2 months+ on the road, I am finally seeing the benefit to a rooftop tent. The back of the truck will be full of gear, and the daily grind of setting up a tent and taking it down has been a pain on my 2 week motorcycle road trips. Some days, I simply chose a hotel to avoid spending time on setting up a camp. Especially during rainy days. Sometimes, extra weight is worth the comfort on an extended trip. I am looking forward to the Alaska Road trip in the fall 2024
Hennessy Hammock is a great option if you don't wanna be sleeping on the ground. I can usually set mine up in about 3 minutes. It's small, lightweight, and can fit in your ruck. It works best with big, strong trees, but I am sure you could figure out tying it between the windows of your car and a rock anchor in a cliff if there are no trees available, or the available trees are to bendy-bendy at your elevation. I would recommend learning how to tie a bowline and/or a rolling hitch if you go this route, however.
The selling point for me with the RTT is storing the bedding and etc in it, clearing bed/cab space. The extra weight isn’t a huge deal for me, cost is a bit steep obviously but that’s also why I looked everywhere for used stuff as much as I could. I have roughly 1300 into my bed rack and tent for 3 people. I wasn’t able to find anything that worked as well and wouldn’t take up a bunch of space on top or it.
Buying used RTT is a really great way to save money.
Recently switched from a pathfinder to frontier. Sleeping in the suv was great in winter , and I was looking for an alternative on the truck. Will definitely not be going with a rooftop for the price. My trusty old ground tent will have to do.
nothing wrong with a good ground tent.
Love my SWAG- I run a crashpad single swag and the mattress, bag, and pillow all roll up in it (one of the big selling points of the RTT). I use my SWAG for one nighters where I’m moving through an area. If I’m staying put I run the Oz tent RV 5 which is way more comfortable than any RTT on the market. Lastly, I would counter that running a SWAG is way cooler than an RTT- who needs a 4k tent to sleep in the woods.
I'll have to check out the Oz tent RV 5... never seen one of those.
The one thing about the mentioning the Australian guys using these things is...they're almost always running 60,000-80,000$ if not MORE worth of other gear along with the swag, from touring canopies, double spar tires, fridges, spares, extended fuel tanks, water tanks, etc. Not only that they actually have laws restricting how much they can carry AND are stopped to be weighed while out and about the US doesnt, thats why here you see those 70's and 80's teeny tiny pick up trucks dragging the rear bumper they're so over loaded. The Australians arent running swags because they can and its fun they're pretty much doing it because they HAVE to. When an Aussie says budget they mean about 20k in gear, when an american says budget they mean about 3k the american overlanding community is MUCH different then the Australian over landers. As far as i can tell a good portion of time they can not be compared in most cases.
Now back to the swag. While yes the swag is stupidly cheap compared to a roof top or camper (personally i was looking at topo toppers) The price, for a lot of people is the ONLY upsides to the swag, setting it up, carrying it, packing it, battling the elements, its all, at least to me downsides. With a camper, not only do you have the bed you're looking for, you also have full elemental protection not just to sleep but eat, relax, ease of use, etc. Like with a swag you have to carry other things to be comfy or have places to eat and be protected, so yeah its cheap but...thats just a place to sleep now you have to take into account all the extra stuff you have to carry for everything else you might need or want to do that doesnt involve sleeping.
Also, if you have a base camp, you're camping, not what from what i can tell is considered overlanding, which is going from point A to B on nothing but trails and dirt. If you're going out to point A to then wheel around point A then im pretty sure its considered camping
sorry a bit of a rant/ramble. But again, the Australian over landing crowed is hilariously different then the American over landing crowd. And a LOT of American/Canadian over landers are starting to compare them to the US over landers and miss a LOT of key point differences between not just the geography but laws around over landing, which is why they are so different.
EditL Just looked it up just for the tray and canopy a lot of Australians are running NOTHING ELSE is over $30,000...mean while you're average overlanding camper in america is like 7-10,000$ so not to shabby if you ask me
Yeah… I get a lot of this… this video is really for people looking for budget alternatives… the payload thing should be a big deal but everyone seems to just ignore it 🤷♂️
@@OutdoorAuto sorry that was a bit much i know you were just trying to offer a solution for budget builds my bad
This is a super cool tent. My gazelle has never done me wrong over 2 years of camping with it. Only difference is i live in Southern California. Pretty perfect conditions for running ground tents. But since my oldest is gonna start driving his own rig soon, it might be time to downsize to a single person tent like this.
if you get the one, that is one size down from this one for a true 1 person tent, it takes up even less room. I love this tent
I went with a soft topper for super low weight and versatility. I go overlanding with my girlfriend and throw an air mattress in the back. Cooler and cooking supplies in the back seat.
Plus you don’t lose your truck bed as it can easily fold down to haul bike items or dirt bikes
Minimal and lightweight is the goal!
Soft topper is a heck of a light weight solution... especially y if you are struggling with payload numbers. It is also a solid budget option.
I have the Darche airvolution and Love it. I have been all over Australia with it, but Do prefer it with the stretcher.
Stretcher… ha… see I always call things the wrong name when talking about Australian stuff 😳
@@OutdoorAuto lol. I knew what you meant.
I have a 5’x4’ trailer. Fitted roof bars to it and put a roof top tent on top. Tows with any car and you don’t have to pack anything away if you need to go out for anything in the car.
Trailers are pretty awesome for RTT so you can leave camp setup and still go run trails… I’ve never done that yet but always thought about… especially for places like Moab where I want to run trails every day.
Great video. Thanks for being realistic and not just hawking the latest warez.
Ha, thanks... most of the latest wares are too heavy for my truck😳
Good, thoughtful advice and information. Too often, we over buy, thinking that 'more' or 'new' is what we need to be happy campers. Maybe some of us may find even more happiness with 'less is more' as a camping philosophy. Certainly, our wallets will be fuller, which is always a good thing.
A lot of people jump into overlanding and go nuts buying everything and then eventually circle back to trying to simplify after actually using all the gear.
for bed rack...get the Billie Bars. I bought 2 sets and bolted my RTT to all 4 bars.
Share a link for people so they know what you are talking about.
Bought a 1400 today. Thanks for you honest and complete reviews
Your videos are always super informative. Thanks!
I’m going to keep trying to make them that way…
Another great video. I will be using my Gazelle T4 Overland Edition tent for the first time very soon. It seems like a great tent with quick setup as well. The tent in the video is certainly an interesting design with the mattress built in. I did also get a Coleman Airbed twin cot to use inside the T4 as well so I will be off the ground. Looking forward to testing this setup out. May eventually end up with a RTT and use a somewhat low profile Dethloff rack. Adding some 300 lb rock slider steps to my truck soon, so that should counteract the higher located RTT/rack weight but will certainly be close to max weight on my PW once fully loaded. I am running some sweet Carli R2 coils in the back so handling the max weight should not be an issue. My Power Wagon is an absolute offroading beast that climbs like a mountain goat. Enjoying your channel and videos so far.
I purchased my Land Rover with a roof top rack, so no additional expense there, but a roof top tent has a number of negatives.
1. It limits your ability to carry other gear on your roof rack.
2. Roof top tents weigh around 200 lbs, limiting both your overall weight limit and making your top heavy.
3. Your roof top tent is always on your vehicle, which can limit where you travel off road.
4. Not everyone can get into a roof top tent. Zero percent chance my wife can climb into such a tent.
5. Roof top tents are very expensive.
I went with an off-road camping trailer, which cost just a bit more than a good roof top tent. It's much larger than than a roof top tent, wife can get into it, and it has storage.
If I want to go someplace by myself, I rarely need even a tent. I've slept in the drivers seat, so pretty much any tent will suffice for me.
Something to consider with a tent of any kind is putting it away wet. I drive and sleep then drive again. Some days wet, some days dry. My option on wet days are the backseat of my F250. I don't have time to wait for a tent to dry. I'm not on vacation either.
I have had to live this way before… mold becomes a huge concern… that is one plus to the GFC’s you can always just sleep in your truck be and not even pop the tent… but nothing wrong with a backseat for emergency sleeping.
Personally I don’t understand the SWAG. They’re essentially a roof top tent on the ground. And while they are lighter and cheaper than a roof top tent they’re infinitely heavier, more expensive, and less roomy than a typical ground tent. Imagine packing that SWAG in the back of a vehicle with all your other gear, it literally takes up half the cargo area for what is a 2 person shelter that you can barely sit up in. If you want 4 season performance get an MSR tent. Compare that to say a Gazelle tent which is lighter, roomier, you can actually stand up in it, and it weighs less. Throw in two exped pads and you’re golden. If you want to pack even lighter then just get an REI, NEMO, or Big Agnes tent. IMO, a SWAG is just a heavy and bulky ground tent that is limited to two people plus one small child or a small dog. Anymore than that then well, you’re going back to a normal tent.
It’s a durability thing for 1 but yeah price and weight are a big deal.… I have owned and tested literally everything you called out in this whole list… one example… I love Expeds but the get holes OFTEN… we use them on multi day rafting trips… also Expeds are huge! If you combine an exped and a larger ground tent… that takes up the same amount of cu inches of storage just in two packages.
In Australia most ppl just throw a swag on the roof while driving cause it actually comes with a durable and weatherproof enough bag.
But the biggest thing… is unlike ground tents, you don’t have to be careful with them, they are made to be beat up, used a lot. MSR, Gazelle and especially Big Agnes tents are made to be light as the priority… not tough. I have used them all and they simply do not hold up like a swag does.
@@OutdoorAuto Good points and I totally get it. To be upfront, I'm not running a light weight setup either. For the last 4-5 years I've used an OzTent RV3. It's long and heavy but enormous inside. I used an Exped for 2-3 years but mine did get a flat and I sent it in for an RMA. I've now switched to Hest Foamy pads for the two of us. So my setup takes quite a bit of space. I have to load my RV3 on the roof of my LC200 which can be a PITA sometimes, it weighs 45-50lbs or so and is long. To date it has been durable as heck and the longest I've used a tent without switching. I can easily house 4 people and 2 dogs inside. I do think about downsizing at times to a Gazelle T4 for weight and size savings.
Although the RV3 is large and heavy it makes up for it in the space it provides. I can stand up inside, house 3-4 people, I can store my gear inside, have cots and a table inside if I wanted to. You can't do that with a SWAG. A SWAG is a slightly larger Bivy tent. An REI half dome or full dome tent has more sit-up room than a SWAG. About the only thing you can do in a SWAG is lay down or sleep. If I'm trying to hide away from bad weather in the RV3, Gazelle or REI style tent at least I can sit up fully and read, play cards, eat a meat etc etc. Those things aren't possible in a SWAG. If durability is a concern I'd rather have the smallest Oztent or Kodiak Canvas tent than a swag. Again, just my opinion, and everyone will have a preference.
My tent weighs 1.1 lbs. I sleep on the ground. You can use an inflatable mattress, and you can get them at an R rating that's suitable to the climate that you will be in. You can eat Mountain House food or MRE's. If you use these cost and weight saving measures, you can carry more ammunition for your ultimate survival tool. I was into ultra lite backpacking and that gear isn't cheap either. $1700.00 for my tent and tent insert. $360.00 for my sleeping bag and so on. I won't ditch this gear, so it all went into my truck. And you know what? It's fine. My entire kit weighs less than 16 lbs.
I'm even more convinced that sleeping inside the vehicle is the best option for me. Thanks for the info.
If you are solo and can fit… this is absolutely the best way to go… keeps you light and hyper mobile
Great video. I came to the same conclusion and purchased a swag last year. 1/4 the cost of the cheapest hardshell tent, 30lbs, much easier to store. It seemed like a no brainer to me. Here are a couple of other points I think are worth mentioning:
1) They set up really fast. Mine sets up in under 5 mins.
2) Just a like a roof top tent, you can store your bedding and just rolled it up with the swag. Thats what I do.
Great points. I have been using mine with a SXS which has been super fun… and definitely couldn’t use a RTT
Another budget is space/ volume. Many overland items are overbuilt in my opinion. Sure a canvas tent or swag is awesome and feels great, but a lightweight car camping or backpacking tent offers more space with less volume and weight. Another example is overland camp chairs versus lightweight aluminum/ fabric backpacking chairs.
As a family of 4, soon 5 I always try to get items that are both lightweight and compact with packed, although we are looking at a trailer, but keep shying away due to cost.
let say 4 people x 30lbs = 120 lbs vs Ikapmer 3.0 at 165lbs. Yes savings, but marginal. Definitely saving for the one person. I was looking at this with foldable cot. you need rack to care a swag, as almost all cargo area filled with fridge, drawers and many other gear, so I don't see here your point. Ikamper mini with hardware is 160 lbs per their website. it's said what is included in the package. Remember, Aussie loves swag, as they are using a very heavy platform with the box, included 2 Li batteries and other things, also they do use on Utes and heavy restrictions on upgrading payloads. Aussie is not that freedom as us in USA. I was thinking to go that route, as to use diamondback with a full size bed slider (glider) and sleep on top diamondback platform. But still love an idea RT as in rain you can crawl there and sit and watch video. That is why like an idea Jeep with a unfordable roof as sleeping place, but not a Jeep as vehicle. (don't kill me for this, excellent off road best in class, but every day driving and long distance .....)
Nobody is sleeping 4 people in an iKamper 3.0 😂…. Also those swags sleep 2 people…. So it be more like 2 ikampers vs 2 swags….. you r“savings calculation doesn’t make sense…
@OutdoorAuto it's true but you will need 2 swags for family or someone sleeping in car. I'm just saying a 50/60 lbs saving max as you will need a roof rack, well say 90 lbs saving. it's about one large dog weight. So it's not really a mass savings it's more to reduce CG. The swags up to 900 dollars vs. the cheapest RTT 900 dollars.
Nice job, I didn't know about these. Thank you!
I love mine...e specially for solo camping when I take the rock crawler.
Thank you for the helpful insight
Like that swag as an option going to have to look into it. I have a canvas tent of considerable size that is mostly for very cold weather camping. Still weighs in well under what a lighter weight rtt does.
Great video and thank you!
Thanks... hopefully it helps someone.
@@OutdoorAuto definitely helped me to consider other options. Actively looking for a roof top tent and a roof rack for my Jeep thing are quite expensive! A grand total 4K plus just for those to 2 items.
Im torn between a RTT and a camper van
Here in Australia we really only have the delica 4wd van and even then its only awd so cant go as many places as a truck/ute.
My wife (and me) would prefer camper van but i know some places ill only get to with a proper 4wd.
I will have a dedicated ute with RTT.
We only camp one night in same location snd carry a kayak.
Im thinking low tub rack with RTT then kayak on roof
Great information. Weight is a concern for me. My truck cap wont support a RTT. Im now looking at a OZ tent RV4. Thanks for the video.
I am going to have to check out that tent... I have heard about it from a few people.
I've gone from " I'll never have another (cheap) ground tent to- RTT are the best ever- to RTT take too much time opening/closing and I can't do ANYthing once I get set up- to I'm going back to the ground. Just purchase the new Foundation Hub V2 from free spirit but I'm still on the fence. I need speed, mobility, comfort. Curious though- can you mention the other company w/out getting in trouble? Does it start with O and end with Z? Because, I considered them, but at over $1K, I just couldn't do it. Keep up the great work.
I hear you on the speed, mobility and comfort… for the full size Tundra the GoFast camper has achieved that but it is heavy so I have to sacrifice other places… with smaller vehicles I pretty much just go straight to the swag. The tents we had consistent failures were the 23 Zero swags… and it was always the poles… I think they have changed them now… but I have tested anything with an update yet.
Bottom line up front, swags are pretty cool and I think in fair weather or paired with an awning are a solid option.
This ironically comes out right after I just completed the New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route using a swag tent. I have a 23zero dual 1100. I had no issues with build quality and feel that it is a good value. I bought it for around 400 bucks and my reasoning was similar to yours, the price and weight savings versus a roof tent and ease of use versus a traditional ground tent. This was my first time using a swag vs a traditional ground tent. I wanted a cot for it but couldn't find one that fit it prior to my trip.
I generally prefer the swag to a traditional ground tent for sure but I now have my sights set on a light weight hard shell roof tent for any longer trips I do in the future. I'd jump on a go fast superlight or the new alucab lightweight tent given the right price on the used market. While I generally found the swag to be easier to set up than my ground tent, things got really messy in bad weather. Also, maybe design specific to my swag, getting in and out in rain sucks. When I open my swag in rain, it is hard to not have water ingress into the bed portion. However, in good weather, I loved my swag. The ventilation is awesome and I can leave my sleeping bag in mine when I roll it up. With my swag, there are 2 hoops and a pole that cross-links them. It literally takes 5 minutes to set up once you have done it a few times.
My 2 cents, if you do get a swag, I think pairing it with a vehicle or free standing awning or tarp shelter would be the best way to go. That fixes the bad weather issues I had. I also really want to try a cot with it. I plan to implement these changes with my swag in the future. I like mine way better than my ground tent but still think the convenience and comfort of a hardshell roof tent would be hard to beat for a longer trip where you are driving a lot and looking for quick camp setups (my typical style of travel).
Lots of good advice in here... I have paired them with awnings a lot and you are right... its a nice extra option to have.
New name, I dig it!!
Nobody can remember how to spell my name 🤷♂️
Check out traditional flat swags like Murchison River that use the very best military grade canvas and are much easier to used than dome swags(swags with poles). Most dome swags aren't actually made in Australia these days and are a fairly recent development compared to the traditional swag. Advantage of the traditional is to just roll it out and get in. Much more mobile. And the high quality Australian canvas doesn't use treatments like formaldehyde like the Chinese made dome swag canvas does.
Loved the vid I’m debating selling my darche rtt bc it’s been kinda falling apart, not impressed with the build quality so maybe their swag bags are better
I'll still take my Kodiak Canvas tent over any RTT or swag
Any thoughts on the Rev Tent by C6? Slightly more expensive tent from the original owners of front runner. I am also looking at a Shiftpod Mini 3. There are not many reviews on these 2 tents. I can see the benefit of this swag having a center pole. Unfortunately it’s all sold out in US currently. I am currently using a Napier backroads truck tent. I dislike the setup time and want something more durable.
I would like to test the Rev Tent…. It’s light weight and a 4” mattress sounds comfortable… all the best swags are canvas for durability, so it would be nice to test Rev’s and see how their material holds up. Also see how tough the bottom material is.
@@OutdoorAuto You mentioned in the video using the swag in the back of a pickup. That is my preferred use. Have you tried that Darcy 1400 in one? The 1400 measures 55” wide. My F150 Lightning is 50” wheel well to wheel well. Will the 1400 conform or do I need to go with the smaller 1100 (43” wide)? Thanks!
I have been looking at this exact swag simply for the reason that getting a 160lbs St. Bernard into a RTT with me is not a viable option. We have a Travel Trailer we will use with the whole family for long trips and then head out for day trips to hit the trails but this seems like the perfect solution for remote trips off road with myself and the dog.
Do you think this is better than Crachpads version? Or 23 Zero? I'm very curious what the other brand is you referenced in this video
We had a lot of issues specially with the 23Zero Bandit model… the poles weren’t strong enough…
Not a criticism, but it looks like you have a GFC on that Tundra... are you getting rid of it? or did you get it after filming most of this? You mention just setting the swag up in the bed of the truck... but you have a camper in the bed. (c;
I actually have 4 trucks and have a Off-Road guide company in Baja… I also test a LOT of gear for the RUclips channel… so you will always see an assortment of gear on this channel. We use these swags for the entire kitchen and guide crew in Baja… they have been awesome… but yes… when I’m talking about putting it in the back of a truck… I just mean a beer truck bed.
Did you say that you can put this up on a bed rack? Using it’s a make shift RTT
thoughts on the dometic air swag .. no poles to mess with or break .. easy set up and take down .. inflates with a pump with ease and mattress made from air ... something to look at in my op..
Great video! Love it. I have not committed to anything yet after 2 years of doing this - I’m still sleeping in my Jeep. 😁 I think if I went for a RTT I’d go all out on an Ursa Minor. We’ll see! 😊
I have never had a chance to see the Ursa’s… I am a big fan of the similar alucab pop ups on the Land Cruiser Troopy.
@@OutdoorAuto so good! 👊🏼👏🏻
Cabelas sells cot tents. Way cheaper than those swags.
Almost anything else is a lighter, cheaper option than a rooftop tent.
Lol… yes the Cabelas cit tents are way cheaper… in every way.
Amazon now offers “Naturnest rooftop tent” for $1300 seems like a good deal for a clam shell type tent. Know of anyone doing a solid review on these?
Great video as always. Also I see you are running the Geolander X-AT. How are you liking them? I know you mentioned they are so-so in the snow.
I cover them in detail in this video… All-Terrain Tire Buyer's Guide - BFG KO2, Falken Wildpeak, Yokohama Geolander Differences
ruclips.net/video/9hk4qt7rOC8/видео.html
I like them a lot for mud and desert… pretty amazing inner shell that blocks punctures but terrible in ice and so-so in rain.
gazelle t3x and a mattress over a swag. about same price but heavier
The Gazelle are fast… I’m not sure they are as tough as the swags but you get better head room.
Whats your thoughts on the shift pod tent. Looks pretty legit and doesnt take much time to set up. I like the shift pod III.
The shift pods look very nice… but they are pretty pricey… I guess the advantage with the swags is the integrated mattress .
Thoughts on the 23 Zero Outbreak 1550 swag? Has the headroom.
I have only tested their Bandit Swag... we had several of these and every one of them failed. The failure was always broken poles. I am sure they learned from that and have changed the poles... but i'd just check to make sure.
Leaning toward a RTT as we already have a toddler and one on the way. Not sure how a swag could accommodate a small family. Good info either way 👍
I have a video coming out this coming Sunday on a budget RTT...
@@OutdoorAuto Awesome 😎
There are swags with 1.6m (63”) wide mattress. But for mom, dad and 2kids I would go for two double swags of 1.3-1.4m wide (51-55”) and each parent with a kid…until they don’t want to sleep with you anymore!! 🤣
I’ve a toddler also and rethinking about RTT, OZTent or big swag (63”). Each option has pros & cons, however the pros of the rtt have to weight a lot to worth the investment, as i need a good rtt to provide a nice sleeping to my wife and boy, otherwise I will struggle to go out for adventures.
It's real simple...there's camping....and there's VEHICLE camping, and they're completely different. Me?; I'm a CAMPER....roughing it, purposefully. No KOAs, no Class A-B-C, no fucking Mercedes Sprinters, etc. My sis/BIL think "roughing it" is when their hosted camp ground doesn't have a great wifi signal....in their $100k+ gas guzzling RV.
Do you use teepees and a bow and arrow? Or prefer caves and club? Honestly, I think it is simpler still… camping is just however someone decides to get out and enjoy nature their way… from cave men to million dollar RVs people do it a lot of ways… with a lot of different gear. I don’t worry too much about it… I just do it how I enjoy it.
If you have a dog, roof top tents are off the table from the get-go.
Rat for me, but good info here!
Definitely not for everyone.
The lack of discussion about popup campers is dumbfounding. I DON'T SIT AT CAMP. I want to explore. So roof top is out. I wanna set and forget and take off in my truck. People would rather sleep in a tent than a pop up? People would rather spend $25,000 in an over priced "overland" trailer? You get a pretty decent pop up for a couple thousand dollars. But "I dont want to tow a trailer" Its not a big deal.
Rooftop tents are the biggest boondoggle and fad the outdoor industry has produced since the shaker-weight. Putting an RTT on an off-road vehicle is like putting a backpack on a figure skater. Novice-driven market!
A 6’6” husband, dog, high wind areas, price & the ease of switching vehicles is what makes me go to ground. And major bear country means no cooking where you sleep. 🥾🏔🇨🇦❤️
Yeah 6’6” just starts testing the limits of a lot of options. Good luck